Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Could you build a better rifle.

IN a year and a half I will be taking social security. For my retirement I would like a RUGER Scout in .223 and an 18" barrel. I'm easy to please but I have not seen one on a shelf or even at a gun show for months. I'd have to trade something off but that is doable. I'm just not interested in the long range stuff anymore. Maybe at one time but not today. The middle ranges suit me just fine. 55 to 70 grain bullets would be the bomb. It's a good enough rifle to pass onto my grandson in the not too distant future. It could serve him well for years to come after I'm done with it.

Although the aluminum chassis rifles have an interesting draw to them. So many options and too little time. Rainshot mentioned the .270. I always wanted one but I never had the reason to get one. It seemed to me like the .270 has been ignored for a long time. It has potential in the right hands. The 30-06 case can hold a boat load of powder. A 1903 receiver and match it with the right barrel and look out down range. Great conversation.
kwg

If you gotta pay more than $.50 an hour for labor... ya can't beat that deal.

I have built many rifles...

Going forward... EVERYTHING will be https://terminusactions.com/product/zeus/

...or better.

Oh snap!

Big Jim, hotrodder Lincoln is gonna whoop you like blackfart does....

Good glass is as important as the rifle you choose. Rio7

I have to admit I do like building a rifle.

Then there’s your answer. Tikka’s are soul less. But the end result is the same.

No!

The Tikka is a good rifle for twice the price and still cheaper than building your own. If you want to throw money at “customizing” it then $500-$700 oughta buy you a nice stock to your specs.

Absolutely true and an excellent point. Buy the Tikka and use the $2000+ dollars that you saved over building and buy the best glass possible. Or look at some of the smaller more detailed rifles like Defiance or Seekins or any of the multitudes of offerings available. If the goal is an extremely accurate rifle then you have many options off the rack.

Whatever way you go I hope you keep us updated on your choice and more importantly I hope that you are happy with your decision. 👍

I like Tikka’s, but what about a Savage?

Yes. M70 Featherweight.

CZ 550 American.

A custom built on a VZ-24, 1909 Argentine, M98, Defiant Machine w/ CRF Action, Mausingfield, etc.

Cash;
Good evening my cyber friend, I trust the day was decent to you and you're all well.

Since I've first seen this video, these have me intrigued but admittedly part of it is they're made a couple valleys west of us.



I was trying my best to convince a couple shooting buddies to build something on one, but one bought a Sako S20 instead, so I'm now losing hope.

Anyways, it's an interesting action and thought I'd share.

All the best.

Dwayne

Hotrod Lincoln done spoke, thread killer he is.

Cokksucker knows everything.

My bone stock Tikka 595 7-08 is the most accurate factory out of box non custom rifle I have ever fired. Not to mention the smooth as glass action on it. Have also heard good things about the Christianson Arms rifles for about the $ figure you mentioned.

My experience with Savage is actually pretty good. I had 2 BVSS's one in 30-06 and the other in 300 mag. I used 190 grain Sierra MK's and H4831in both. The 30-06 would do 1000 yards and the 300 1200 yards plus. My current Savage is an FV from Cabelas in 223. Right out of the box with little work on the free float, 3/8-5/8 inch groups at 100 yards.

My experience with Savage has been the same as yours, they shoot! I’ve seen very, VERY few post 1990 Savage bolt action centerfires that didn’t shoot sub MOA with factory ammo. I have a 116 FSAK in .338WM that shoots all factory ammo except partitions into well under 3/4” and oftentimes better. I’m sure that the limiting factor is me as that rifle is the most consistently accurate rifle I’ve found. 200-250gr original X bullets, TSX & TTSX, A-Frames, Failsafes, Sciroccos, Ballistic tips….even cheap Power Points and Corelokts are sub MOA. I haven’t been able to get Partitions to shoot under an inch but that’s fine since there are equally good options available and I’m not emotionally attached to any particular bullet. My longest kill with that rifle, or any rifle I’ve used for big game, was 537 yards on a cow elk outside of Roosevelt Utah. For a number of years I hunted everything with that rifle from elk and bears to rabbits, grouse (head shoot) and coyotes. I have an intimate and understanding relationship with that rifle and because of our closeness I have supreme confidence when I’m carrying that rifle. All my other rifles (bolts) are very accurate with several rivaling the Savage and most costing much more than the Savage but because of the countless hours we’ve spent afield together I feel as though anything I intend to kill is effectively already dead except for the formality of pulling the trigger. 😁 I don’t hunt with the Savage as much as I used to but I’m satisfied knowing that she’s there and I have hundreds of rounds ready to feed her.

You only have to please yourself so buy what you want and what you feel confident and comfortable with. As you know most production rifles are quite consistently accurate or can be with minimal work (ie different stock or bedding) so it really comes down to what you like and what makes you happy.

ArmedandFree….You seem like a good man that works hard and from what I’ve gathered you care deeply for your loved ones despite the personal difficulties or past history. I’m sure that your upcoming retirement will be a new but wonderfully exciting change with the freedom to play more and enjoy life. I truly wish you the best of what hopefully is a VERY VERY long retirement with many decades of good health, exciting adventures and surrounded by the love of family and friends.

Yesterday I shot my home built Savage coming in at $1200 plus’s brake and glass against a couple of buddies shooting the Tikka CTRs. Distance 500 yards. One of the tikkas clearly outshot my Salvage and the other did as well with the correct driver. For $1000 the CTR can’t be beat. Change the trigger spring for less than $20, screw on a brake and good glass and your done.

You can find a Tikka CTR for just a hair more and they are fine rifles as well. Mine is in a 260 and it has turned in some fine groups at 600 yards for sure.

If the only thing you are looking for is stellar, consistent accuracy then the Tikka is for you. I own one but among the other rifles I have it is in last place.

It's not even my most accurate rifle .

With luck you may be able to build one that is likely to be as accurate as the Tikka but it will take a fair amount of parts shopping, money spent shipping parts back and forth and the possibility that in the end it won't be as good as the Tikka. Also it will probably take a minimum of a year to get it done.
Personally I would purchase the Tikka in a heartbeat and get out and enjoy it instead of the agony of building something in the hopes that it may be as good.
Another consideration is that should you decide to sell the rifle later on the Tikka will be easier and likely worth more than a "parts" rifle.

drover